Standing Posture Issues
People's Sports Network
Su Junlong, a clinical instructor from the Department of Rehabilitation Treatment Sciences at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, points out that the correct standing posture should be:
Spine straight, feet shoulder-width apart, knee joints and calves in a straight line, with the front thigh muscles, gluteal muscles, and calf muscles all engaged simultaneously to reduce the load on lower limb joints.
However, if standing for too long, the lower limb muscles tend to fatigue, weakening their protection of the joints, which can easily cause knee pain, ankle pain, heel pain, and leg swelling and numbness.
Especially when posture is improper, it accelerates the deterioration of knee cartilage, and over time, can lead to knee arthritis.
Su Junlong emphasizes that many people feel tired after standing for a long time and habitually relax their body by standing on one foot. This is the most forbidden posture. The following postures are the most common mistakes people make while standing.
Incorrect Standing Posture 1: Leaning sideways against the wall on one foot. This causes the body to tilt, making it easy to fall; the hip joint is twisted, which can lead to hip joint strain; one foot bears pressure, affecting blood circulation and increasing the load on knee and ankle joints; the calf bends backward, and the knee joint is locked for a long time.
Incorrect Standing Posture 2: Standing on one foot with back against the wall. This slightly reduces lower limb weight bearing, but overall, it's still difficult to maintain balance; body weight is concentrated on one side of the lower limb, causing heavy loads on the hip, knee, and ankle joints.
Incorrect Standing Posture 3: Standing on one foot with upper body tilted. The hip joint is twisted, overloaded, and the gluteal and thigh muscles fatigue easily. Long-term use can lead to knee and foot pain; all body weight is concentrated on one side of the lower limb, causing excessive joint loading.
Su Junlong says that if the lower limbs tend to feel sore and swollen when standing or walking, it indicates that the lower limb muscles are not strong enough. The following exercises can strengthen the corresponding muscles and relieve discomfort.
Exercise 1: Pulling the calf backward. Support yourself against the wall with your left hand, bend your right foot backward, and use your right hand to lift your right foot to your buttocks until you feel a slight stretch in the front of your right thigh; hold for 10-15 seconds, then switch sides, repeat 5-6 times.
Exercise 2: Squat and leg press. Place your right foot on a low stool with toes pointing up, slightly squat with your left leg, and place both hands stacked on your knee; slowly move your hands toward your right toes while breathing deeply, until you feel a slight stretch in the back of your right thigh; hold for 10-15 seconds, then switch sides, repeat 5-6 times.
Exercise 3: Wall push-up with toe press. Raise both hands with upper arms at shoulder level, palms flat against the wall; feet in a lunge position, left leg in front bent at the knee, heel on the ground, toes resting against the wall, right leg straight behind; lean your body as close to the wall as possible until you feel a slight stretch in your right calf.